Jungpo Dulche Gyensak
Prerequisite: Refuge
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tara Meditation Center at Earth Sanctuary (Directions below)
Tara Meditation Center at Earth Sanctuary (Directions below)
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10:00 am – Noon: Prayers by H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, H.E. Dagmo Kusho Sakya, lamas, and monks
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Noon – 1:00 pm: Lunch (bring your own lunch)
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1:00 – 3:00: Fire puja ceremony
Note: You may come to just the Fire Puja at 1:00 or you may come to both the prayers in the morning and the afternoon Fire Puja.
In a monastery, monks traditionally perform prayer ceremonies and Pujas for the long life, health and success of their lamas, friends, benefactors and all sentient beings, as well as for world peace.
You are invited to a traditional Tibetan Buddhist Vajrapani Deity Fire Puja. In the Vajrapani Fire Puja, all fire deities are invited and presented with different offerings (see below for list of offerings to bring). During the Fire Puja, H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya will be outfitted and emanate as Heruka and then transform into Vajrapani. The smoke emanating from the fire is charged with vibrations and the vibrations travel for miles creating peace and harmony in the world.
The Vajrapani Fire Puja is very powerful and has many benefits. For the living, a Vajrapani fire puja ceremony fulfills wishers, removes obstacles, improves health, and increases merit and wealth. For Buddhist practitioners, making offering to the fire deities helps the practitioner gain accomplishments on the path, stabilize one’s meditation concentration and improve one’s spiritual practice. For the deceased, the ceremony is an excellent method of purifying negative karma and attaining higher rebirth. You may bring a photo of deceased loved ones, including pets, to put in the fire as a blessing for your loved one. If you don’t have a photo, write their names down on white, unlined paper and you may bring that with you instead. If you are unable to attend, you can give the photos or list of names to the Monastery office and we will bring them for you.
The Vajrapani Fire Puja also helps to avert or purify three kinds of obstacles:
- External adversities that manifest from karmic imprints and affect our daily life, relationships, job, business, etc:
- Internal hindrances arising from fear, doubts and superstition that affect our health or mental state; and
- Secret/hidden obstacles of inherent ignorance that obstruct our ability to realize the true nature of reality
How to dress:
The Vajrapani Fire Puja will be held rain or shine. Be sure to dress warmly for the weather as we will be outside for the entire ceremony. You may need to bring an umbrella or rain gear.
What to bring:
It is beneficial to bring offerings to the Fire Puja. You gain merit through your generosity.
In appreciation for your prayers, it is appropriate to bring a donation to Sakya Monastery in an envelope with your name on the outside of the envelope. Optionally, you can give a donation to H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya and our 5 monks.
For the Fire Puja, bring any of the following: barley, wheat, rice, white or black sesame seeds, peas, noodles, vegetable oil, sesame oil, olive oil (no animal oils), kushu grass, honey, golden raisins, and dry or fresh flowers. Note: all grains should be dry and uncooked.
Photography:
No photography is allowed unless you have signed the Sakya Monastery Photography and Video Recording Contract. If interested, you can download the agreement here: Photo and Video Contract
Directions:
From Seattle, take I-5 north.From the Eastside, take I-405 north to I-5 north. Take Exit 189 from I-5 to the west and follow the signs to the Whidbey Island/Mukilteo ferry terminal. Get into the ferry line where the signs tell you to do so or whenever you see the “end of the line” of cars. Here is the ferry schedule for Feb. 7. The ferry ride from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island lasts about 20 minutes. Once on Whidbey Island, drive north on the main highway, Route 525, for approximately 7 miles. Turn right onto Newman Road and drive for about 0.25 mile to the intersection of Newman Road with Emil Road on the right. (The Tara Meditation Center/Earth Sanctuary Retreat House is on the Northwest corner of Newman and Emil Road.) Note: The Fire Puja is not at the Retreat House. Turn right on Email Road and go about 1/10 mile up the hill and turn left into the Earth Sanctuary arboretum where you will be directed to a place to park.
Where you can eat
Here is a list of places to eat near Earth Sanctuary:
1) Payless Foods is a local grocery store with a nice sandwich counter about 5 minutes from Earth Sanctuary.
Payless Foods – 1609 Main St., Freeland, WA. 98249 – Main Store # (360) 331-4810
2) Whidbey’s Coffee / Lighthouse Cafe is in the same small shopping center as Payless Foods, back by the Ace Hardware store. They have good breakfasts and lunch baskets, plus coffee and espresso drinks. (360) 331-4580
Google map for Payless and Whidbey’s Coffee/Lighthouse:
3) The Star Store at Bayview corner. 360-321-5424. Full service deli case for sandwiches and natural and organic food items Google map: http://ow.ly/12QIn
The Tara Meditation Center at Earth Sanctuary
The Tara Meditation Center at Earth Sanctuary (www.earthsanctuary.org) is the retreat center for Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. Earth Sanctuary combines exemplary ecology with art and spirit to create a sanctuary for birds and wildlife and a peaceful place for personal renewal and spiritual connection. Come and meditation in a sculpture garden of sacred spaces (stone circles, labyrinth, dolmen, medicine wheel), consecrated by H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya and H.E. Dagmo Kusho Sakya. Earth Sanctuary is open every day of the year, rain or shine, during daylight hours. $7/person fee. No dogs and no fires please. The Earth Sanctuary Retreat House (Tara Meditation Center) is available for individual and small group overnight and day spiritual retreats